Classroom cabinet, prefabricated construction



Jan. 3, 1961 w. w. BROCKWAY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

I'V/ll/[l/f MBROCKWA) BY I Jan. 3, 1961 w. w. BROCKWAY CLASSROOM CABINET, PREFABRICATED CONSTRUCTION FiledAug. 11, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

IV/lHH/IWBROMWAY Afro/emf)" w. w. BROCKWAY Jan. 3, 1961 2,966,760

CLASSROOM CABINET, PREFABRICATED CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 11, 1958 5 SheetsSheet 3 I" llllll II J INVENTOR. v

W/lfifl WfifiOlKW/f Y BY ATTO/P/Vf) United States Patent CLASSROOM CABINET, PREFABRICATED CONSTRUCTION Wilhelm W. Brockway, 1900 Mandeville Canyon Road, Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed Aug. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 754,212

2 Claims. (Cl. 45-139) This invention relates to sectional cabinets of a type suitable for use in school classrooms, for storage of supplies, classroom apparatus, or for any other use to which such a cabinet can be applied. The general object of the invention is to provide a cabinet construction of improved sturdiness and durability, comprising components especially facilitating the erection of cabinets in various modified forms, with various modified features, and with varying number of sections.

Particular objects are to provide: (a) an improved supporting foot construction; (b) an improved cabinet panel and edge binding construction; and (c) an improved header and sill construction utilizing interchangeable parts.

Another object is to provide an improved dust and moisture sealing joint between the header and top plate of such a cabinet.

A further object is to provide an improved sealed corner joint in such a cabinet.

Another object is to provide an improved arrangement of major components including base, top and mid-section, particularly adapted to increasing the height of the cabinet by adding one or more sections above an existing section and also for selective variation of the base section.

A further object is to provide an improved glide type of supporting leg structure.

A still further object is to provide an improved supporting structure embodying a combination of casters for moving the cabinet from place to place and jacks for fixed positioning of the cabinet in a selected location.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a cabinet structure embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view illustrating the header, side panel and top plate joint construction;

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view illustrating the' base frame and supporting glide construction;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view partially in horizontal section as indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical fore-aft sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail plan view of the actuator means for the positioning jack;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the joining of two cabinets end-to-end;

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical sectional view of top and header frame construction;

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of base and supporting foot construction; and

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line l010 of Fig. 9.

General description of invention Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have shown therein, as an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, a classroom cabinet embodying, .as major components thereof, a base section A, a pair of inidsections B and B, and a top plate C.

. 2,966,760 Patented'Jan. 3, 1961 The base section embodies, in general, a sill frame indicated generally at 10 (Fig. 5) and a skirt which is indicated generally at 1'1; transporting caster units which are indicated generally at 12; and positioning jack units which are indicated generally at 13. The frame 10 is rectangular, corresponding to the plan-form of the cabinet as seen in Fig. 4 but of somewhat smaller dimensions as indicated in Fig. 5. The skirt 1-1 is correspondingly rectangular, extending around all four sides of the frame. The caster units 12 are disposed in the four corners of the space surrounded by the skirt 11. The positioning jacks v13, of which there are two, are dis-' posed at the respective ends of the base, approximately midway between thecaster units 12 in a fore-aft direction.

A modified form of base construction, indicated generally at A in Fig. 3, embodies a sill frame 10' and a skirt 11' of the same general construction as the corresponding units in base A, but of somewhat different proportioning. In lieu of the supporting casters and positioning jacks 12 and 13 of Fig. 5, Fig. 3 illustrates an alternative supporting leg structure of glide form, indicated generally at 12, which may be employed.

Each of the mid-sections B and B embodies, in general, a back panel 14, end panels 15 defining between them an open front which is normally closed by doors 16 hinged to the forward margins of side panels 15 by hinges 17, a bottom 18, and a top header 19 having the full rectangular plan-form of the cabinet.

The mid-section B is demountably attached to the sill frame 10 of base A by quick-fastener means which will presently be described. Similarly, mid-section B is demountably attached to the header frame 19 of the midsection B by the same type of fastener means, shown in Fig. 2; and the top C is demountably attached to the mid-section B in a similar manner. A two-unit cabinet such as that shown in the drawings may quickly be converted into a cabinet of three-unit height by removing the top C from the existing cabinet, replacing it by a third mid-section attached to the header frame 19 of the mid-section B, and then attaching the top C to the third mid-section.

The doors 16 extend downwardly to cover the forward margin of the bottom 18 and are flush with the lower surface thereof. A lintel 22, attached to and depending from the forward member of header frame 19, may optionally be used and extends the full length of the cabinet between the inner faces of side panels 15 (to which the ends of the lintel are joined) and defines the top of the door opening. The doors 16 extend to the lower margin of lintel'22 or by removal of the lintel 22 the doors may extend to cover the header frame 19 and adjacent to the top. In the two-unit cabinet, the. lower margins of doors 16 of the upper unit will swing immediatelyabove the plane of the upper surface of header frame 19 of the lower unit.

Having described the cabinet construction generally,

I will now proceed with a detailed description of the various specific features of construction embodied in the cabinet, under the headings given below.

Laminated panel construction sign in a very thin layer laminated under the melamine surface. The inner and outer layers 24 and 25 are adhesively bonded to the core 23 by a suitable adhesive. It will be understood that other synthetic resin plastic materials may be utilized as alternatives instead of the melamine resin.

These finish panel units are provided with margin bindings in the form of E-section channels 26 of extruded plastic material, preferably the same as the resin used in covering layers 24 and 25. A central leg 27 of the binding strip, having longitudinally extending barbs, is press-fitted into a longitudinal groove 28 in the margin of the respective panel to secure the binding strip in place with its respective flanges covering the marginal areas of the panel. The binder strips 26 seal the margins of the panel to exclude moisture from the absorptive core 23, and the liner sheet 24 and skin 25 function both to seal the faces of the core 23 and to provide extremely high reinforcing strength resisting warpage. As the result, the panels will indefinitely retain the perfectly flat condition.

In addition, the skin 25 provides a decorative finish.

Another important function of the liner sheet 24 is shown in Fig. 2. For interlocking with the header frame 19, the liner sheet 24 of each end panel 15 is projected beyond a shoulder 29 at the upper extremity of the panel 15, to provide a tongue 30 of extremely high strength.

Inter-frame construction Header frame 19 comprises a series of frame members of wood having mitered ends (Fig. 4) joined by gusset plates 32 at the four corners thereof and each having the cross section shown in Fig. 2. In the outer vertical face of each frame member is a rectangular rabbet 33 which receives the full width area of an end panel 15 (or back panel 1'4--Fig. with the lip 31 of the panel projecting upwardly to cover the upper outer face of the frame member. The rabbet 33 has a narrow portion continued upwardly from its inner area to provide a groove 34 in which is received the tongue 30 of the panel. A flange 35 defines the forward side of groove 34, over-hanging the tongue 30 and abutting the shoulder 29 of the panel.

In the inner side of each frame member, adjacent the top thereof, is a horizontal groove 36 which, like rabbet 3'3 and groove 34, extends the full length of the member. A fastener clip 37, of -Z-form, fabricated from strap metal, has at one end a finger received in groove 36 and in its opposite end an aperture through which a wood screw 38 is passed and screwed tightly into the top C. The clip 37 has some resiliency and is adapted, when screwed tightly to the top C, to exert an upward clamping pressure against the upper wall of groove 36 to tightly clamp the top C against the upper surface of the header frame 19. The marginal portions of top C project beyond the vertical planes of the panels '14 and 15 as best illustrated in Fig. 2 and the panel lips 31 are terminated below the undersurface of the top C to provide a marginal space in which may be received a sealing strip 39. Strip 39 is inset into a narrow horizontal groove 40 in the front side of the frame member near the top thereof, and projects outwardly to cover the upper margin of panel lip 31. Extending upwardly from the projecting portion of the sealing strip is a vane 41 which compressively engages the undersurface of the lining sheet 24 in the overhanging marginal area of top C, with a slight flexing action which maintains a tight sealing contact with the liner sheet 24. Thus a moisture and dustproof seal between the upper margins of the vertical panels 14 and 15 and the over hanging areas of the top C, is established.

A series of clips 37,, distributed in spaced succession around the perimeter of the top, are employed.

The lintel 22 has its upper portion constructed exactly the same as the upper portion of end panels 15 shown in Fig. 2, and is attached in exactly the same manner to the forward frame member of the header 19.

The back panel 14 may be of identical construction to the end panels 15 or may utilize a plain, undecorated sheet of protective plastic skin (not shown) on its back face in lieu of the decorative skin 25 of the other panels.

The lower mid-section B is attached to the bottom 18 of upper mid-section B' by similar fastener clips 37 attached to bottom 18 and engaged in the grooves 36 of the header frame 19 of section B.

Base section A The sill frame 10 of base A embodies four frame members having the same features of cross sectional construction as the header 19 (but of somewhat greater width horizontally as indicated). The skirt 11 embodies four boards of material the same as that employed in end panels 15, and having the same construction in their upper areas as in the upper areas of panels 15 in accordance with the illustration in Fig. 2; and are attached to the sill frame 10 in exactly the same manner as the panels 15 and 14 are attached to the header 19. The sill frame 10' is secured to the underface of bottom 18, utilizing attachment clips 37, in the same manner as the header 19 is attached to the underface of top C. Seal strips 41, the same as shown in Fig. 2, provide a dust and moisture tight seal between the upper margins of skirt 11 and the underface of bottom 18, the same as in Fig. 2.

The caster units 12 include casters '44 having stems 45 mounted in brackets 46 of U-form strap material the arms of which embrace and are secured (as by wood screws or bolts) to the respective forward and rear frame members of sill frame 10 as shown in Fig. 5, the upper arms of the brackets being received in transverse slots 47 in these frame members.

The positioning jack 15 comprises a mounting bracket in the form of a section of angle iron 48 with one flange sealed against the underside of a respective end frame member of sill frame 10 and secured thereto by screws or bolts; and having a tongue 49 (Fig. 6) extending into a slot 47 in a respective end frame member of sill frame 10. A jack leg 50 has its upper end pivoted to the vertical web section of bracket 48 as shown in Fig. 5, and has at its lower end a foot 51 for engaging a floor surface 52-. A toggle link 53 is pivoted at 54 to the same vertical web of bracket "48 and a second toggle link 55 has its respective ends pivotally attached to the lower end of link 53 and the jack leg 50. Toggle link 53 has a bifurcated upper end providing a notch in which is engaged a stem 56 on the end of an actuator lever 57 (Fig. 6) which is pivoted at 58 to the tongue 49 of bracket 48 for swinging movement in a horizontal plane. Such swinging movement will be transmitted through toggle link 55 to jack leg 50 to swing the foot 51 in an arc between a position engaging the floor 52 and lifting one pair of casters 44 out of contact with the floor; and a position in which the foot 51 is raised from contact with the floor and the floor casters 44 solidly rest upon the floor.

It will now be seen that it is possible to actuate the jack 13 to an inoperative position which permits the cabinet to be castered around a room to a selected position, smoothly backed against a wall, and then solidly positioned against movement by depressing the jack 13 into contact with the floor and very slightly lifting the front end of the cabinet to leave the cabinet resting upon the rear pair of rollers 44 and the two jacks 13 at respective ends of the base.

In passing, it may be noted that the handle of lever 57 projects externally of the base A at the respective end thereof so that it may be readily accessible to the operator. A notch 59 in the lever 57 receives a portion of the frame member at one corner of slot 47 to provide suflicient amplitude of swing of the lever.

Joining cabinets end to end The invention further contemplates the joining of cabinets end to end in a row of solidly attached cabinets. The means for doing this is illustrated in Fig. 7,, and

comprises a tie bar 60 of strap metal having at one end an L-bend providing an car 61. The tie bar 60 is receivable in a pair of aligned slots 47 in a pair of end members of adjacent header frames 18 (with end panels 15 in face to face contact as shown in Fig. 7) and with the cars 61 extending downwardly and attached to the inner vertical face of one of the header frame members, while the other end of the tie bar is attached to the underface of a common top panel C by a wood screw extending upwardly therethrough and screwed into the top panel.

Modified support (Fig. 3)

The supporting glide 12' of Fig. 3 utilizes the samev Preferred c0nstructi0n--Figs. 8, 9 and 10 Referring now to Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the preferred construction of my cabinet is one in which the lintel 22 of Fig. l is omitted and the doors 16 extend substantially to the top C as shown in Fig. 8, just clearing the under surface thereof for free swinging. The front member of header frame 190 is of plain rectangular construction and provides a stop for the doors 16. The back member of header frame 19c is slightly recessed on top to provide a shoulder 65 flush with the upper margin of back panel 14, defining a shallow space receiving the lower flange of edge binding strip 26, the seal strip 39 of Fig. 2 being omitted. In this case the flange of edge binding strip 26 seals directly against the plastic outer ply of back panel 14.

Referring now to Fig. 9, the lower margin of back panel 14 is interlocked with a tongue 35c and groove 34c construction in bottom panel 18 corresponding generally to the tongue and groove construction of the side and rear members of the header frame 19c, and the joint is secured by blind nails 66 driven upwardly through the tongue 35c and into the panel 14. The same construction is utilized in the joint between the bottom panel 18 and the side members (as disclosed in Fig. 2). Blind nailing 66 is also utilized in the joints between header frame 190 and back and side panels 14 and 15 (see Fig. 8).

A modified form of supporting foot structure 12c is shown in Fig. 9. The foot 44' and bushing 62 of Fig. 3 are utilized, and are adjustably threaded onto a screw tip 67 at the lower end of a stem 45c. Stem 45c is rotatably mounted in a bore in a mounting block 68 which is secured at 89 to the bottom 18 in a corner defined between adjoining members of a base skirt 110. Foot 44 is square and is slidably fitted against the inner surface of the corner portion of the skirt 11c so as to be restrained against rotation. A collar 69, threaded onto screw tip 67 of stem 45c and staked to the thread at 70 so as to be locked against unthreading movement, has a flange 71 providing an annular abutment with end bearing engagement against the under face of mounting block 68. A retainer clip 72, anchored in an annular groove in the upper end of stem 45c and bearing against mounting block 68 in a counterbore at the upper end of bore 64, secures the upper end of the stern 45c. Said upper end constitutes a head which is provided with a screw driver slot 73 and is received in an opening 74 in the bottom panel 18, the opening being covered by a button cap 75 having spring fingers securing it in the opening 74. By removing the cap 75 and applying a screw driver to the stem 45c, it may be rotated, thus functioning as a screw jack to raise and lower the cabinet with respect to the supporting foot 44'.

The construction disclosed above has a number of advantages including the fact that the blind nailing 66 is invisible in the finished cabinet; and the blind nailing 66, following suitable joint-gluing, eliminates the necessity for clamps to hold the glue joints until set. Also, the tongue and groove joints between the vertical panel members and the horizontal panel members (top and bottom members) are of identical construction such that there is no requirements for rights and lefts in the various components of the cabinet.

Secured to the lower margins of the respective members of skirt 11s are sled runner strips 77 of tough substantially rigid material (e.g. hard plastic) with smooth lower faces providing for sliding the cabinet from place to place on a smooth floor while supported on the skirt 110. After the cabinet has been moved to a suitable location, the supporting foot 44' may be projected downwardly to lift the skirt 11c from contact with the floor.

I claim:

1. In a cabinet construction, in combination: a horizontal bottom; a rectangular skirt depending from said bottom, said skirt including vertical members joined to define a corner and having glide bearing means on their lower margins, with a lower bearing surface for gliding contact with a floor surface; a bearing block secured to the underside of said bottom in said corner and having a centrally disposed vertical bore; a stem having a cylindrical shank journalled in said bore, a threaded screw tip on the lower end of said stem; an end bearing collar threaded on and staked to said stem around the upper end of said threaded screw tip and bearing against the underside of said bearing member to transmit support thereto; and a rectangular supporting block having at its center a nut into which said screw part is threaded, said supporting block having a corner portion snugly engaged in said skirt corner to restrain the supporting block from rotation around the axis of said stern; said stern holding said bearing block for adjustment between a cabinetsupporting position in which its lower surface is below said lower bearing surface of said glide bearing means, and a retracted position above said lower bearing surface, to render the latter operative for said sliding contact.

2. In a cabinet construction, in combination: a horizontal bottom; a rectangular skirt depending from said bottom, said skirt including vertical members joined to define a corner; a bearing member secured to the under side of said bottom in said corner; a stem having a cylindrical shank journalled in said bearing member, and a threaded screw tip on the lower end of said stem; an end bearing member secured to said stern and bearing against the underside of said bearing member to transmit support thereto; a supporting block having a nut into which said screw tip is threaded, said supporting block having a corner portion snugly engaged in said skirt corner to restrain the supporting block from rotation around the axis of said stem; and wedge-section glide strips secured to the lower margins of said vertical skirt members, said strips having lower glide surfaces for gliding contact with a floor surface to facilitate the sliding of the cabinet while resting on said skirt, said stem holding said bearing block for adjustment between a cabinet-supporting position in which its lower surface is below said lower glide surface, and a retracted position above said lower glide surface to render the latter operative for said gliding contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,108,516 Thompson Feb. 15, 1938 2,404,182 Kump July 16, 1946 2,476,366 Grimm July 19, 1949 2,725,667 Ingarra Dec. 6, 1955 2,742,675 Robertson Apr. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,372 Great Britain 1910 

